Barrett - Owen
OWEN BARRETT
Source: Frankfort Crescent, Wednesday, June 15, 1881, pg. 1
Monday morning, as the work train on the T. H. & I. R. R. was moving at the rate of about twenty miled an hour, a large pile-driver became partially loosened, swung around, and struck George L. Keezee and Owen Barrett, killing them almost instantly. The dead men were both residents of Crawfordsville, and men of families. Keezee was about fifty-five years of age and Barrett about fifty. There being no coroner present, by request of trustee H. M. Aughe, Isaac Cook, justice of the peace, held an inquest over the bodies in the undertaking room of G. W. Goodwin. The verdict was rendered in accordance with the facts. Two other men were injured but not fatally. The effects found on the bodies were handed over to the Treasurer, and the bodies returned to Crawfordsville. The cause of the pile becoming loosened seems to have been the breaking of the iron bar supporting one end of the pile, when it immediately swung loose and struck Barrett; he lived about twenty minutes. Keezee scarcely breathed after he was struck.
Thanks Lena for this one -- you rock, girl - kz
Source: Crawfordsville Star, June 16, 1881 p 1
George Kezee, of this city was instantly killed on the TH & IRR on Monday morning. The facts in the case are substantially as follows: Kezee has been in employ of the TH&I as bridge carpenter for two years, and at the time of the accident was seated with some of his fellow workmen on a car load of timber on a construction train. As the train was moving along pretty lively just above Darlington the stanchions on the side of the car broke off and Mr. Kezee with two others were thrown to the ground. He was instantly killed. Owen Barrett, a relative of Billy Cogan, of this city, was also fatally injured. Mr. Kezee's body was brought to Crawfordsville on the evening express the same day. Mr. Kezee was a kind-hearted and intelligent man who worked hard to make a living for a family who are now left in indigent circumstances. At opne time he was quite a large property holder, but the perfidy of business friends in whom he trusted broke him up and threw him upon his resources as a day laborer. Mr. Barrett was a single man, having lost his family. He was about 52 years of age and was well liked. His body was also brought to Crawfordsville to his boarding house, the residence of Mrs. Peters near the Junction - kbz